The Bay WaveThe troubling trend of women and children being targeted and killed in Gaza demands urgent attention. Innocent civilians, especially those most vulnerable, endure profound suffering amidst the ongoing violence and unrest. The international community needs to prioritize the protection of civilians and actively seek peaceful solutions to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
Saving women and children is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, they are often the most vulnerable and disproportionately affected by the consequences of conflict, including displacement, injury, and death. Secondly, protecting women and children is a moral imperative, as they are entitled to the same rights and protections as all individuals. Additionally, safeguarding women and children contributes to long-term peace and stability, as they play essential roles in family and community dynamics, and ensuring their safety can help prevent further cycles of violence and trauma. Finally, upholding the rights of women and children in conflict zones is mandated by international humanitarian law and human rights conventions.
Thus, the deaths of women and children in Gaza highlight the urgent need for peace. Every civilian casualty is a tragedy and a violation of humanitarian principles. Diplomatic efforts must prioritize protecting civilians and securing a lasting ceasefire. Providing humanitarian aid is essential to ease suffering.
The recent months will be etched in memory as a dark epoch in human history. Gaza has become a humanitarian nightmare, with civilians—families with children—trapped without access to shelters, medicine, food, or clean water.
In a recent development, the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, a prominent women’s rights organization based in Sweden, has drawn attention to a warning issued by UN experts regarding the potential for genocide. The foundation expressed grave concern over the alarming rhetoric employed by top Israeli government officials towards the Palestinian population. Phrases such as “children of darkness” and “human animals” have raised significant alarm within the international community. This announcement was made on December 22, 2023.
According to a harrowing assessment by ActionAid Charity, the Gaza Strip has been identified as the ‘most dangerous place in the world’ to be a woman with a troubling revelation that two mothers succumb to fatal violence every hour within the region. This disconcerting disclosure sheds light on the precarious predicament confronting women in Gaza, where ensuring their safety remains an urgent priority.
Moreover, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin voiced apprehensions on Thursday regarding the distressing toll inflicted on women and children, revealing that over 25,000 individuals from these demographics have fallen victim to the Israel Defense Forces since October 7. Austin’s remarks underscore the pressing need for fortified protective measures for civilians in Gaza, urging Israel to take swift and decisive actions to shield vulnerable populations within the strife-ridden area.
The figure cited by the Pentagon chief went beyond even Hamas’s claim of around 22,000 women and children killed in 146 days of war, out of some 30,000 unverified deaths, and contradicted Israel’s claim that over a third of those killed have been combatants.
“It’s over 25,000,” Austin told lawmakers when asked during a House Armed Services Committee hearing for the figure on women and children killed by Israel.
Asked about precautions Israel was taking to protect civilians, Austin added that “based upon the results and the significant loss of life, there’s more that should be done.”
“The war is disproportionately affecting women. Women who have lost their children, husbands, relatives and family members will continue having feelings of sadness for years,” ActionAid’s Riham Jafari told Yahoo News.
“Women who have children with deep injuries will feel pain and sorrow for them. They will be frustrated as those children could not be treated under the collapse of the health system in Gaza.”
For women like Inaya, a displaced woman from East Rafah, whose home was destroyed by bombing fled with her family to southern Gaza and will continue to face the challenging conditions of living in a refugee camp.
“Don’t we need to sleep or [water] to drink? Don’t we deserve protection?” she asks.
We stand for the protection of women and children in Gaza. Our grave concern is with Israel’s proposed ground offensive in Rafah, which could lead to the deaths of thousands of civilians and worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis. Israel has urged Palestinians to seek refuge in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, resulted in a sixfold increase in its population, with approximately 1.5 million seeking shelter. Conditions are extremely dire, with scarce shelter and limited access to vital resources such as food and clean water. With a military operation looming, the critical question arises: where can these individuals seek safety?
Ongoing violations of human rights persist, particularly affecting Palestinian women and children. United Nations experts have voiced serious concerns regarding the human rights abuses against Palestinian women in Gaza and the West Bank, concerns echoed by our partners. These abuses include the arbitrary detention of hundreds of Palestinian women and girls, including women human rights defenders, journalists, and humanitarian workers since October 7. Many of them have reportedly endured inhuman and degrading treatment, including sexual assault and the appalling acts of being stripped naked and raped. The UN experts are alarmed by reports of Palestinian women and children being targeted and subjected to extrajudicial killings in areas where they sought refuge. Such violations constitute grave breaches of international law, underscoring the urgent need for an independent investigation to ensure accountability for the perpetrators.
The Kvinna till Kvinna partners in Gaza have been consistently reporting on the ongoing and deteriorating situation, detailing how women are enduring inhumane conditions during childbirth, how families are losing members to violence, and the constant dread of being trapped under rubble following Israeli bombardments. Despite these challenges, they remain committed to assisting those in need.
This systematic dehumanization and destruction of an entire population must be halted. States hold both a legal and moral responsibility to protect civilians, prevent war crimes, and uphold international law. By either blocking resolutions or continuing to supply arms and ammunition, they are contributing to the continuation of these atrocities. The international community must unite and take every possible measure to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire, secure the release of hostages and unlawfully detained Palestinians, and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access.
“Children, women death toll in Israel war on Gaza 6 times higher than Russia-Ukraine War.” reports Anadolu Agency, Middle East, February 25, 2024.
The aftermath of the killing of women and children in Gaza is marked by profound repercussions, exacerbating cycles of violence, trauma, and resentment. It not only results in the tragic loss of innocent lives but also deepens societal wounds, amplifies grievances and obstructs pathways to peace and reconciliation. Effective response entails immediate humanitarian assistance, bolstering mental health support, and fostering constructive dialogue to seek a fair and enduring resolution to the conflict.
The killing of women and children in war is a reprehensible act that violates fundamental principles of humanity and international law. Targeting these vulnerable groups inflicts unnecessary suffering, undermines peace efforts, and erodes moral standards. All parties involved in armed conflict need to uphold the sanctity of civilian lives and respect humanitarian norms, regardless of circumstances, to build a more just and peaceful world.
Amidst the challenges faced by women and children in Gaza, recognizing the depths of human consciousness can wield significant influence. Human consciousness encompasses empathy, compassion, and interpersonal connection. Through a profound appreciation of our shared humanity, we can cultivate unity and support within communities, especially within Gaza. For women and children in Gaza, this means embracing the possibility of transformation and engaging in initiatives aimed at nurturing a society marked by peace and prosperity.
Once more, we stress the importance of implementing an immediate and lasting ceasefire. Ending the violence, freeing hostages, and conducting a thorough investigation into violations of international humanitarian law are essential steps. Political leaders must demonstrate leadership in addressing the underlying causes and putting an end to the occupation.
Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish speaks to the anguish of civilian casualties in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In poems like “Identity Card” and “State of Siege,” Darwish gives voice to the suffering of his people, particularly women and children, who bear the brunt of violence and displacement.
If the world doesn’t protest this rampage genocide and infanticide, what is the purpose of this world then?
STOP GENOCIDE
STOP INFANTICIDE
Fatema Zohra Haque is a poet, writer, translator, and Fulbright scholar who teaches English at
Viqarunnisa Noon School & College Dhaka. Bangladesh
Email: fatemazh@gmail.com
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